WHERE TO LIVE WHILE STUDYING ABROAD?

When you go abroad to study, the question «where will I live?» comes up the moment you've chosen your programme. The answer shapes your budget, how quickly you pick up the language, your day-to-day comfort and even your academic results. There are plenty of options: a boarding school, a hall of residence, a host family, a rented flat or a hotel. Each has its own advantages, drawbacks and target audience.

The choice is closely tied to age.
Among children under 14 studying abroad without their parents, almost 70% live in boarding schools and a further 25% with host families. For students aged 18 to 25 the picture is different: almost half rent a flat with friends, a third live in university halls of residence, and the rest stay with host families or in hotels for short visits.

A lot also depends on the country.
The United Kingdom has around 500 private boarding schools, attended by 70,000 international students. Germany has fewer (around 250), but more than 60% of school exchanges go through host families. In the USA, over 80% of first-year students live on campus. In Italy and Spain, students more often rent rooms, simply because there aren't enough halls of residence.

The type of programme matters too.
On short language courses (2–4 weeks), residences and host families are popular — they're simpler and safer. University preparatory courses usually offer a hall of residence or a host family, so the student isn't distracted by everyday chores. On a full Bachelor's programme, most students move into rented flats from their second year — cheaper, and with more freedom.

There's no single recipe. For a 10-year-old travelling without their parents, a boarding school or host family is almost always the right choice; for an independent 20-year-old, a hall of residence or a rented place. But every option has its own less obvious pros and cons, which we'll cover separately later on.